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Merits and Flaws
=Psychological= Merits Code of Honor (1): You follow a strict personal code, and any attempt to make you break it or act against it via magic or other unnatural coercion (regular coercion is basically impossible) is done with an opposed roll in which you have a +2 bonus. You must write down your code of honor with a GM, and it must be followed at all times. If you break it for frivolous or even worthy reasons, you risk losing your bonuses, because a Code is to be followed for good or ill. Gall (2): You got moxy, kid. You get a +1 bonus to any Social roll requiring backbone. Loyalty (1): You are devoted to a person, group, or cause, and easily resist attempts to persuade you away from the object of your loyalty. Any attempts to make you betray this person/cause/whatever is done with an opposed roll where you get a +2 bonus. Again, like the code of honor, you must always be loyal to this person or risk losing this benefit. Flaws Black and White (1): You see all situations in black and white, good and evil, etc. In situations where this limited, judgmental way of thinking may hinder your reaction to something or cause you to act socially inappropriate, your Social rolls are at -1 Penalty. Compulsion (1): You have a specific compulsion which may cause you problems. You might need to roll (Diff 6) to resist this. Compulsive Speech (aka Big Mouth) (1-2): For whatever reason, you have difficulty sticking to the rule, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all." 1 point makes you talkative and a bit blunt; 2 points makes you a complete prick. Curiosity (2): Your incredible curiosity often overrides your common sense. Resisting temptation requires a successful Wits roll, difficulty depending on the situation. A very bad flaw to take with certain evil sadistic GMs. Dark Secret (1): There's something about you which you don't want people to know, and it would be very bad if they did (or at least you think it would be). Deranged (3): You have a permanent, severe mental disorder. Definitely check with the OPs, and possibly your fellow players, before taking this one. Driving Goal (3): You have some goal which is at the basis of all your motivations, though it is of such depth or impossibility, it could probably never be achieved. Your obsession with your vision can temporarily be soothed by a proper situation (Mission, Combat, etc) or a roll (Diff 8). Flashbacks (3): When under pressure and/or in the presence of something which reminds you of something unpleasant in your past, you flashback to that past event. Whilst in a flashback, everything to you is as it was then. Hatred (3): There is something out there which you absolutely loathe, and will do anything to destroy it. If you need to roll to resist a berserker state, your roll is at a -2 penalty. Hero Worship (1): You idolize absolutely idolize someone, and disobeying them requires an effort of will . You also are at -2 penalty to any roll that may force you to admit/realize that your hero may be in the wrong... if the GM feels you should roll for this. Inferiority Complex (1): No matter what you do, by your standards, it's just not good enough. In situations requiring you to take charge and strut your stuff, any roll you make is at -1 Penalty. Intolerance (1): You have difficulty tolerating a specific thing or type of person, and are likely to snap at them and be dismissive. Lifesaver (3): You revere all life and will not risk killing someone at all costs. Unfortunately, as a mercenary, this can sometimes be a problem. Low Self-Image (2): Suffering from a low self-esteem, any social rolls (where you need to be assertive or sure of yourself) have a -2 penalty. Masochist/Sadist (1): You either enjoy pain or enjoy inflicting it on others. In addition to the inconveniences this fascination may cause you, you may also be seen as sick (and, well you are), or even more sick people may use you for your obsession. Nightmares (1): You're constantly plagued by nightmares, which at the worst may indicate there's something nasty in your fate, and at the least will make you cranky and irritable most of the time. A particularly bad night may cause you to have a -1 penalty on all rolls. Pacifist (5): A more extreme version of Lifesaver, you refuse to do any physical harm to anyone for any reason. Particularly this'd be tough on demons.. or.. well.. let's face it, anyone in here. Phobia (1 or 3): You have a specific, incredibly powerful fear. At 1 pt, you will avoid any contact or nearness with the object of your fear, and all rolls near it will be at -1 penalty.. as well as other shortcomings, like nervousness, fear, and the general wanting to get the hell out of there, which you will at the first opportunity. At 3 pts, the object of your fear will cripple you, and you might pass out if you fail a roll (Diff 7). If you succeed, you can do -nothing else- until you get as far away from it as possible, likely screaming and flailing. Fear of heights or airplanes or other less 'get the hell away from it' situations are highly possible, and will have the same penalties (Good luck getting someone with a 3pts fear of Airplanes inside one without massive amounts of sedatives.) Sensation Junkie (2): You're addicted to sensation, and will do anything to find new means of stimulation. If the opportunity presents itself, you need something distracting you to resist the urge, and only by making a roll (Diff 6). Shy (1): You're not a social butterfly, to say the least. Many social rolls are at -1 penalty, and if you're the center of attention, all rolls are at -2 penalty. Soft-hearted (1): You can't stand to witness suffering, and if you do, all your rolls are at -2 penalty for the next hour. Ulterior Motive (2): You have more reason to be with your comrades than your like for them or for their common goals. Whether this motive is sinister or not, it's a secret for whatever reason, and if you are suspected of this motive, things won't look too good for you. You also need to like.. COME UP WITH ONE. Not just take this and run with it. Vengeance (1): You are consumed with avenging something very important to you. When facing a chance to do this, you need to make a roll (diff 7) to resist taking your revenge. This is another specific flaw, which you should mention beforehand. =Mental Abilities= Merits Clear Sighted (3): You are not fooled by illusions, and you get an Alertness roll to see through illusions, Difficulty 7, any time you face one. Common Sense (1): You are full of practical wisdom. A great merit for starting characters, as you may receive advice from the GM regarding how to handle certain situations. Concentration (1): You are very good at focusing, and suffer no penalty for distractions, stress or having to repeat yourself often. Eidetic Memory (2): Having a "photographic" memory, you can accurately recall any sight or sound with a successful Alertness roll. The higher you roll the more you remember. You also rarely forget -anything-. Iron Will (5): You cannot be mind-controlled easily, and getting you to surrender is borderline impossible. When magical (or other) mind-control is attempted on you, both roll and you get a +3 bonus to your roll. It's possible to do it, but you'll fight it with every fiber of your being, and will not stay in thrall very long. Lightning Calculator (1): You have a natural affinity for numbers. +1 bonus when relevant. Self-Confident (5): One free successful roll during a mission, due to the strength of your self-confidence. This only comes into effect regarding rolls at difficulty 6 or higher. As with other rolls, this does not apply in combat (as your enemy is probably just as sure of himself as you are), but when it's time to get something done, you -know- it comes down to you. Time Sense (1): You have an inate sense of time, and can with a good deal of accuracy tell what time it is without a watch. In performing feats where timing may be essential (such as certain combat or athletic maneuvers), difficulties may be lowered or dropped. Flaws Absent-Minded (3): You have a lousy short-term memory, and need to make a Wits roll to remember more than standard knowledge (like your name, address, etc.). Amnesia (2): You have no memory of your past, or at least are missing a significant portion of it. You have the option of taking up to 5 points of extra flaws to be determined by the GM (you don't get to find out about them till you're playing...). Confused (2): You have a lot of trouble focusing and/or making sense of the world around you. All rolls when in a chaotic situation are at -2. Overconfident (1): You think you can do everything even though you probably can't, and you try to prove your belief as often as possible. Weak-Willed (2): You are easily mind-controlled and manipulated. Opposed rolls are at -1 Penalty for you, and when the odds are against you, you tend to crumble. This is a crippling as hell Flaw in a Free Form RP channel, so think hard and long before taking it for two extra points. =Awareness= Merits Acute Senses (1): One of your five senses is incredibly sharp, and Alertness rolls involving this sense have a +1 Bonus. You must buy this merit separately for each sense. Nightsight (3): You can see in near-total darkness. You may, however, be sensitive to bright light, and sudden bright light may dazzle you for a turn or two. Flaws Bad Sight (2): Difficulties for sight-related rolls are at -1 Penalty, and you suffer from night blindness. This can be corrected with glasses, but then it's just a 1pt flaw. Blind (6): You can't see. This obviously hinders certain perception attempts. Color Blind (1): You can see only in varying shades of grey, which may make some perception rolls more difficult (note in real life color blindness makes you unable to perceive only a certain portion of the color spectrum, but this rule makes it a little easier to handle and roleplay). Deaf (4): You can't hear. Ditto for what I said about "Blind." Hard of Hearing (1): Difficulties for hearing-related rolls are at -1 Penalty. Again, this can be corrected with an hearing aid, but that has it's own set of problems. One Eye (2): You lack peripheral vision on one side, and you are at a -2 Penalty for rolls related to depth-perception. On the upside, you can wear a nifty eyepatch and say "Arrrrr" a lot. =Aptitudes= Merits Ability Aptitude (1): Pick a single skill, talent, or knowledge: you're a whiz at whatever this is. +1 Bonus to all rolls using this ability. (Does not count for Athletics/Alertness) Animal Magnetism (1): You have the "WOA DUDE BANG ME" aura, and receive a +1 Bonus on seduction and similar rolls (though this may inspire jealousy in the people who view you as competition). This is a Merit seldom taken seriously in the Chat Rooms, as it's been too often used by players whose intent is seldom gaming... Ambidextrous (2): You are equally dextrous, or nearly so, with both hands, and use your "off" hand at no penalty. Not useful if your GM isn't the nitpicky sort who doesn't give a shit about off-hand penalties and such...). Using both hands at once is still not so easy. Note, again, this Merit should be for people who use regular abilities. Someone trained in two-sword styles or guns akimbo shouldn't have to worry about this, but having to write with your off hand tends to be a PITA, so this can come in handy. Crack Driver (1): This has been changed to "Expert Driver" in later books, but we all know what this Merit really means: you drive a car like you're on crack (but can do it without killing anyone). You get a +2 Bonus to Driving rolls. You can take similar merits for piloting or driving other vehicles if appropriate for the character. Culture Knack (3): You have a knack for fitting in wherever you are, and though you may not know them beforehand, you pick up on customs quickly. In appropriate situations, your social difficulties may be lowered, or you may be able to recover from a botched roll with another roll at normal difficulty. Daredevil (3): You love to take risks, and are damn good at living through them. +2 Bonus when risking your life. This actually stacks with other merits (like Crack Driver), so you can be extremely good at risking your life. ...but if you fail you might die, so.. Graceful (2): You are extremely agile and delicate in your movements. +1 Bonus on all Athletics rolls. Natural Linguist (2): You're good with languages and language structures. +2 Bonus on all language and translation rolls, but you can't know anymore languages than the ones you have listed on your sheet. Well-Traveled (3): You are knowledgeable of the ways of the world from your travels and studies. Once per mission, you can roll against a difficulty 6 (just a die roll, no modifiers). If successful, the GM tells you information about the situation if it makes sense. (I.E., someone from Final Fantasy 4 world may have heard about the Eidolons and the Feymarch or the Red Moon, but probably wouldn't have heard about the Hellsing Organization.) Flaws Graceless (2): You always look awkward, no matter what you're doing. -2 Penalty when trying to make an impression. Illiterate (1): You can't read or write. This may make passing yourself off as that learned professor from Oxford a bit difficult. Speech Impediment (1): You stutter, have a tongue twist, or otherwise have difficulty communicating. A -really- funky accent can work too, but it needs to be crippling or slurred. You get a -1 Penalty to any roll trying to convince or explain something, but this should mostly be played out so people can attempt to decipher your posts. Maybe typo a lot or repeat the same words over and over and over and over in a long running drawn out sentence with no punctuation like I just did. =Supernatural= Merits Beast Affinity (1-4): Animals are unusually drawn to you, and though you can't speak with them, you can communicate with them on a limited level using tone of voice and body language. 1-point affinity is with one specific type of animal, 2-point is with one group, 3 is with all natural animals. In appropriate settings, a 4-point version extends your affinity to supernatural animals as well. Burning Aura (2): Your aura is unusually brilliant; even people who can't read auras will be inexplicably drawn to you. Some may see you as a threat or a snack. Charmed Existence (5): Somebody up there likes you. You never Critical Fail. Danger Sense (3): "Oh no! My Spider Senses are tingling!" A successful Alertness roll, difficulty depending on the situation, will give you a timely sense of foreboding before something bad happens... Green Thumb (1): Not only do plants thrive in your care, they almost seem to burst into bloom from your touch. Honeyed Tongue (2): You've sold gallons of snake oil and thousands of deeds to the Brooklyn Bridge, and most customers still think they're satisfied. All subterfuge attempts gain +1 Bonus. +2 if played out cleverly. Luck (3): You manage to succeed in places when others fail. You can repeat three failed rolls per MISSION, one repeat per roll, and the second roll always stands. Medium (2): You have the ability to see and interact with ghosts. Sometimes, the Restless may seek you out for favors. Depending on the ghosts you meet, this could be a very good or very bad thing. Natural Channel (3): You have a natural connection to the spirit world. Spirits are also more likely to act favorably toward you. Precognition (4): You have glimpses of the future. Though you can enter a trance and try to summon a vision, this foresight usually comes out of nowhere, and can be quite shocking in some circumstances. Prophetic Ability (4): You see and understand (or try to) signs and portents sent by the Powers That Be, either through dreams or just a peculiar insight into everyday events. Your insights and visions are usually obscure, and it may take time and interpretation to get a grasp on their full indications. Soothing Voice (2): You have an entrancing voice. When using your voice (speeches, singing, poetry), you get a +2 Bonus on Social rolls. When making casual conversation, +1 Bonus. True Faith (7): You have a very deep, pure faith in whatever Divine Entity you believe in, and it helps you through times of need or protect you from creatures that defy the object of your faith's purpose. This Merit gives you one point of Faith; up to 10 points of Faith can be accrued, but beyond the first, you can gain Faith only through a lot of good role-playing. Faith points can be used to repel demonic and vampiric beasties, etc. This can get complicated–ask the OPs for more info. True Love (1): You've found that One who makes your life complete. Automatic Willpower success when striving to protect, come closer, or remain close to your True Love. Other benefits as well, GM's discretion. Twin Link (4-6): You share a psychic, if not spiritual, link with one person. As a 4 point merit, you get +2 Bonus to Empathy/Alertness rolls when determining how your "twin" feels. As a 6 point merit, you have a bond with the twin that's nearly telepathic; you always know what this person is feeling and to a limited extent, thinking. Either member can block this if they wish, though doing so requires some concentration. If you are psychic or Awakened or have an appropriate ability, you can use this ability to sense a state your twin is in (for example, with Mind or Telepathy, you WILL know exactly what the person is thinking, with Life you will know his physical condition, etc.) Flaws Bard's Tongue (1): What you say tends to come true; you can't control this prophetic ability, and the compulsion to speak an uncomfortable truth is often very hard to resist (difficulty 8). The GM should feed you the occasional line to say out loud. Cursed (1-5): You have been cursed by someone or something. The curse is specific in nature and cannot be easily dispelled. Level of the flaw reflects how bad the curse is; a 1 point curse is annoying, a 5 point curse is likely life-threatening to you and/or to the people around you, and will at least make you and them incredibly miserable. Dark Fate (5): You are doomed to suffer a horrible demise, or otherwise have some sort of icky unpleasant fate. You are aware of this, and can kinda make you rather depressed... =Social= Merit Good Old Boy/Girl (2): You're just a nice person, and people recognize and appreciate that. +1 Bonus on social rolls when interacting with your fellow folk. Innocent (2): You have an aura of childlike innocence (whether you really are or not). +1 Bonus involving Subterfuge or Manipulation. Pitiable (1): You have an aura of child-like-ness/innocence about you, and many have the urge to pity and protect you (unless they're of a Nature that doesn't allow them that sort of thing). This can be helpful, but it may also be annoying. Flaws Airhead (1): Maybe you have trouble paying attention, maybe you're just clueless, maybe you just look like a flake; no matter what, people don't take you seriously. You generally have a -1 Social rolls penalty when dealing with serious/dire situations. Craven Image (1): There's something about you that makes you appear sniveling and "low." In appropriate situations, social rolls are at -1 Penalty. Disturbing Mannerism (2): You have a habit or character trait which is peculiar, gross, or annoying. You may not even be aware of it-but boy, everyone else is. Penalties of social rolls are increased at the GM's discretion. Isolated Upbringing (1): You were raised in your supernatural society, or were somehow otherwise sequestered away from "normal" life, so you have trouble dealing with this Outside-World thing. Dealing with any community outside the one in which you were raised raises a -1 Penalty on Social rolls, when RP'ing accomodates it. Mistaken Identity (1): People think you're someone you're not; even if that person isn't bad, it can still cause you trouble if they realize you're not who they think you are. Mistreated Minority (1 or more): You belong to a group or have a trait to which the average person will react badly. This depends a lot on where the game takes place and what kind of people you run into, so check with the GM before you assume you can take this. Yes, if you're playing an openly gay man in a backwoods redneck area, that may cause you problems. If you're playing an openly gay man in a game focused on the New York art scene, that probably won't be a problem. =Supernatural Ties= Note: These should only apply to NPC groups and other 'outside' characters. If people in the channel react negatively to you, that's fine, but for the sake of RP, most of these flaws should only apply with tangible penalties to NPCs and outsiders (Example: You pissed off Hotel Moscow or the Genei Ryoudan, which should not affect your standing with Joe Kickass Jr.) Merits Faction Favorite (2): Someone of a tribe/clan/tradition/whatever favor you and will do a good deal to get on your good side, possibly to bring you over to them, especially if you're currently disparate. Note this probably means they expect greatness of you, so don't disappoint them. You get a +2 Bonus on rolls when dealing with this faction unless you critically screw up your opening line and interactions (Being a friend of the Black Panthers and going 'WAZZAP N*GGAAAAAAZ!' when you walk in might make them a little colder to you.) Favor (1-3): Someone of higher rank or ability than you in your supernatural society owes you a favor. Level of the Merit indicates how big the favor is. Reputation (2): You've built yourself an excellent reputation amongst your kind. Add +2 to Social rolls when dealing with the people in your sept/clan/chantry/freehold/etc. Flaws Group Enmity (2): Some group amongst your kind, i.e. another clan/tribe/tradition/whatever, doesn't like you and may prevent you going places you might otherwise go or may otherwise give you hell in a variety of ways. Inconvenient Alliance(1-3): You have an ally with someone who is discomforting to you and/or your circle, but can't easily get rid of him because of a favor owed, sense of guilt, or whatever. Level of flaw reflects how controversial or dangerous this ally is. Notoriety (3): You did something, or at least others think you did, that is frowned upon by your peers and elders. -2 Penalty on Social rolls with your personal group. Probationary Member (3): You're not on the greatest terms with the group (tradition, clan, tribe, etc.) you belong to and are highly suspect of various naughtiness. You may not be privy to the normal privileges of being part of your group, nor will you necessarily receive aid when you ought to, etc. Outsider (2): Though you're not exactly infamous, you have a poor reputation amongst your kind. +2 penalty on all social rolls when interacting with your group. Rival (1-5): Someone within your own society viciously competes against you and tries to undermine your plans; really obsessive rivals may even want you dead. This is slightly less than an Enemy flaw, but a 5pt Rival will try just as hard to crush you.. they're just more likely to do it socially and not personally. Twisted Upbringing (mentoring, etc.) (1): Whoever taught you the ways of your people gave you an incredibly skewed version of those ways, and your faulty beliefs can get you in big trouble... You REALLY should come up with a few actual major flaws on your world view, not just pop them in randomly, as this makes for less of a tragic, very screwed over character and more the proverbial Fishmalk or Schitzophrenic idiot with no sense of IC. =Material/Mortal Ties= Merits Corporate CEO (5): You are the head or otherwise have heavy influence in a major corporation, and have access to the social and economic benefits that implies. This is HUGE. Like. Ridiculously huge. GMs should monitor this like it might catch on fire. Local Ties (1-3): You have influence and/or contacts in an important local institution, though the more you use these ties, the weaker they may become. Samples and their point levels include ties with the following: Park Department (1), Judicial (2), Church (2), Media (3), Corporate (3), Police (3), Political (3), and Underworld (3). Occult Library (2): You own a decent collection of works on arcane lore, and if you have access to it, can lower difficulties when trying to solve an occult mystery and/or generally learn more about the occult. Having this library doesn't automatically mean you're an occult expert; it just means you have convenient access to some knowledge. Flaws Ward (3): You are devoted to protecting a total normal human, perhaps a close friend or relative. These mortals have a knack for unknowingly getting in the middle of whatever mess you're involved with, or may even help create one. This (usually) doesn't include the 'normal human' part of your family. =Physical= Merits Catlike Balance (2): Difficulties for balance-related Athletics rolls are at -1. Double-Jointed (1): Athletics rolls involving escape or dis-entangling are at -1 Difficulty. Light Sleeper (1): You can function on very little sleep, and so are less likely to suffer penalties for losing sleep. You are also more likely to awaken quickly, and so may not get caught blindsided about something that may wake you up. Poison Resistance (2): You have an innate ability to resist the effects of many toxins. Whenever you need to roll to resist poisons, you get a +2 Bonus. Flaws Addiction (1-3): You are addicted to some substance, such as caffeine, nicotine, etc. You will start to crave the substance if you don't get it often enough, and have to spend time and money to counter it. The larger the flaw, the more dependent you are on the substance, and the worse things will happen if you don't get what you need. After jonesing for long enough all your rolls are at -1 Penalty. -2 if a three point flaw. A one point flaw will never incur penalties, but you should start RP'ing out how badly you need a drink or smoke and be easily distracted by that very idea. Allergic (1-3): You suffer from an allergy to some substance; a 1 pt. version inconveniences you and may increase difficulties in certain situations, the 3 pt. version means you have an incapacitating or even a potentially fatal reaction to the substance. Child (1-3): Your supernatural abilities manifested early but you're stuck looking like a kid. The depth of this flaw depends on just how young you are and on the situations you are likely to be in (if you're eight years old and your team hangs out in a bar, you have to figure out have to get in). Quite likely, you also have the Short flaw. Deep Sleeper (1): Waking up is hard; getting you moving is hard enough (-2 on all rolls to wake up), getting you comprehending what's going on after you're up isn't much easier (Your rolls in the next few minutes.. up to 30 minutes.. are at -1.) Deformity (3): You have a withered limb, hunchback, or other physical defect which causes you difficulty in movement, as well as in some social interactions. Depending on the type and circumstance, difficulties can be raised on appearance and/or dexterity rolls. Disfigured (2): You have an injury or physical defect which makes you perfectly hideous; social rolls get a -1 Penalty. -2 On attempts to seduce. Lame (3): Your legs are somehow permanently injured, and all movement-related rolls are at -2. This includes dodging and getting behind cover. Mute (4): You are physically unable to speak, and must communicate through writing or sign language (or perhaps telepathy, if you are capable of the skill and are in appropriate company). One Arm (3): Due to an unfortunate injury or birth-defect, you suffer a -2 penalty to rolls where an action would usually require two hands. Paraplegic (6): You cannot move your legs and are confined to movement by wheelchair or similar apparatus. Why would you take this? Permanent Wound (3): For some reason, you have a wound that never heals, which is effectively a permanent lethal health level. If you repair the damage with magic/superscience, the wound re-opens by the next day. Short (1): You are well below average height, and have difficulty reaching high objects, seeing over things, etc. -2 penalty to pursuit rolls. On the up side, you may get bonuses to hiding attempts. Sterile (1; may also be a merit): You are incapable of reproducing. If you are in a society which expects you to have children, this is a flaw. You may, however, take this as a merit if you practice lots of sex magic or something in which being fertile may actually cause more problems for you than not. Slow Healing (3): For some reason, your healing processes are slow, and you heal twice as slowly as others. Supernatural healing only repairs half the damage it normally would (round down).